NBC to aid CBS with NCIS spin-off

NBC Universal plans to help CBS with the launching of an NCIS spin-off.

According to an article in Variety, "USA has struck a deal with CBS to air the two 'NCIS' episodes from this past season that set the stage for this fall's newcomer 'NCIS: Los Angeles.' USA already carries reruns of 'NCIS,' currently the top-rated off-set series on cable."

Usually, episodes from a previous season's run of "NCIS" wouldn't be available so promptly but CBS saw a marketing prospect by bringing the segments to USA so the network graciously assisted CBS in marketing the spin-off in exchange for an early jump on the episodes.

The Variety article then added, "Such a quid pro quo is in stark contrast to last month's brutal back-and-forth between the Peacock and the Eye over 'Medium.'" Following the fact that NBC wanted fewer episodes of the show than CBS TV Studios was willing to produce, NBC ultimately decided to cancel the show.

This action led to CBS TV sending out a press release denouncing NBC for terminating the series. Yet, this dispute seems to have cooled down since a month after the press release was issued, two different divisions of NBC Universal and CBS Corp. have begun to play nice.